Surface Pro X fail: Microsoft's tablet can't update Surface accessory

Microsoft's Surface Pro X received harsh criticism when it launched last year. Reviewers, including this one, slammed the tablet for its poor app compatibility, high price tag and buggy software, critical issues that mar Microsoft's most impressive hardware to date.

Now things are going from bad to worse after reports from furious Surface Pro X users who complain that they can't update the firmware of their Surface Dock accessory using the ARM-based tablet (via Windows Central). The update seems to require ARM64, which the Surface Pro X doesn't support.

Users attempting to update the firmware of the accessory built specifically for Surface products are greeted with the following error:

That vendor is, well, Microsoft, and the company hasn't given any useful advice on what Surface Pro X owners should do to update their dock. The only thing it seems you can do is to use another Surface product to install the firmware update before connecting the accessory back to your Pro X. That's not really a reasonable expectation considering the Pro X is already one of Microsoft's priciest products.

As we noted in our Surface Pro X review, there are inherent limitations with ARM-powered devices that can't be remedied via an over-the-air patch. We've reached out to Microsoft to see if they are working on a solution.

In the meantime, here is ours: don't buy the Surface Pro X. If you still want a Surface device, read our guide on Microsoft's products to determine which one is right for you.